‘Change Agent’ selected by county
Gannon Emergency Solutions USA was Selected to Serve as Change Agent and will be Developing and Implementing a Strategic Plan to Bolster Fire and Public Safety Services
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors has made it a priority to focus efforts and resources to comprehensively analyze and evaluate the state of Pulaski County’s fire and public safety services. In 2022, the Board of Supervisors commissioned two independent studies that comprehensive analyzed the County’s fire and rescue systems. A baseline study was performed by the Commonwealth through the Virginia Fires Services Board, and a parallel third-party study was conducted by an independent contractor – Gannon Emergency Solutions USA. Both studies were made public and officially presented to the Board of Supervisors, paid and volunteer fire departments, the Public Safety Department and the general public in an open meeting.
“The studies conducted were intended to be more than checking a box or even constructive feedback, but more of an instrument to understand what opportunities lie ahead to strengthen these critical services, and to give us a direction on what our next step(s) would be to improving safety, response and sustainability for our Fire and Public Safety Departments”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “We have come to a place in time where it is important to consider making necessary investments, to employing best practices and to look for ways to resourcefully support our brave men and women who provide first-response services to our growing community.”
Following a nationally advertised request for proposals (RFP), Pulaski County selected Gannon Emergency Solutions USA. The firm had already demonstrated a tremendous wherewithal for the complexity of fire and rescue systems by way of preparing a detailed comprehensive analysis of all of our Fire and Public Safety Departments, and the company hits the ground running due to their extensive familiarity with Pulaski County and their existing relationship with our many volunteer and paid departments.
“The cooperation, faith and passion shown by everyone involved was pivotal in our decision to bid for the opportunity to provide Pulaski County with the help they need to move forward from the studies,” stated Chris Gannon, CEO of Gannon Emergency Solutions USA. “I am very grateful to the County for selecting my firm, and in return I will dedicate all my energy and experience to this challenge. Moving from Florida to the New River Valley of Virginia has been the first step in my commitment, and I look forward to starting work on the important task of making the lives of first responders and the people they serve safer.”
Both the study conducted by the Commonwealth and Gannon identified that the current Fire and Public Safety Departments could benefit from organized support and collaborative assistance.
“Although the County is fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers and professionals who are committed to providing first-response services, we are at a juncture where it is vitally important to find ways to keep up with the evolving needs of our emerging next-level community,” stated Laura Walters, Chair of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors. “The Board’s commitment to our citizens, our business community and to the men and women who serve them, has been unwavering and we continue to follow the strategic process of comprehensively studying, carefully evaluating, properly planning, adequately funding and sustainably implementing, in order to ensure we can continue to meet the progressing needs of Pulaski County.”
The contract for Change Agent services is a two (2) year partnership and will provide direct engagement with all paid and volunteer departments serving Pulaski County. The high-level deliverable is for the development and implementation of a strategic plan that will serve to strengthen, support and affordably sustain the paid and volunteer emergency response services, as well as implement safety, efficiency and support measures to ensure the highest level of response can be provided.
Gannon Emergency Solutions is a firm of specialists dedicated to the review and improvement of Fire and Rescue Services. Chris Gannon, CEO is a globally recognized pioneer of reform in the public safety industry. He has 27 years of experience working on five (5) continents and is fully registered in the USA. He brings a unique and unparalleled level of experience to Pulaski County and the departments he will be working with, and shares a unique insight that could make our best even better. To learn more about Chris Gannon, Gannon Emergency Solutions and the Gannon team of professionals, please visit: www.gannonemergencyusa.com